Hermophroditic electrical connector

ABSTRACT

Hermophroditic type of electrical connector is generally tent shaped and provided with outwardly extending contact flanges on its sidewalls. The sidewalls cooperate with the apex to form a symmetrical channellike member, the shape of which permits two or more connectors to be assembled in a stack in snap-in and snapoff relationship by axial sliding engagement of the contact flanges with longitudinal cam surfaces formed on the walls and the exertion of force compatible with the thickness of the material from which the connector is formed.

United States Patent 2,955,178 10/1960 Landeretal.................. 339/256CX 3,083,345 3/1963 Scheller 339/47R [72] Inventor Charles E. Gutshall Schaurnburg, Ill. [2| Appl. No. 888,634

FOREIGN PATENTS l2/l965 GreatBritain................

Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion [22] Filed Dec. 29, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 23, 197 1 [73] Assignee Illinois Tool Inc. Chi go, Ill.

Assistant Examiner-Terrell P. Lewis Attorneys- Robert W. Beart, Michael Kovac, Barry L. Clark and Jack R. Halvorsen [54] HERMOPHRODITIC ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: Hermophroditic type of electrical connector is generally tent shaped and provided with outwardly extending contact flanges on its sidewalls. The sidewalls cooperate with the apex to form a symmetrical channellike member, the shape of which permits two or more connectors to be assembled in a stack in snap-in and snap-off relationship by axial sliding engagement of the contact flanges with longitudinal cam surfaces formed on the walls and the exertion of force compatible with the thickness of the material from which the connector is formed.

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I-IERMOPHRODITIC ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION cal and mechanical engagement offer many advantages over the conventional two-piece spadeand socket-type connectors in that only one set of tools is required to fonn them and only one inventory of parts need be carried by either the supplier or the user. Hermophroditic connectors of the type permitting two connectors to be joined are well known. Furthermore, a hermophroditic connector which permits more than two connectors to be joined together is shown in US. Pat. No. 2,797,398. However, this connector utilizes a considerable amount of material and would be fairly difficult to form since it has many right angle bends on opposite sides thereof.

SUMMARY An important object of the invention is to provide a hermophroditic electrical connector or terminal which can be firmly connected and yet disconnected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hermophroditic electrical connector made of springlike material and which is formed so as to permit nesting contactual relationship between either one or a multiplicity of like connectors.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector of the aforementioned character which is practical and efficient for the purposes for which it is purported to be used, and of such simple construction as to lend itself to economical manufacture in quantity production.

These and other objects are attained by the hermophroditic connector of the present invention which includes an elongated sheet metal channel portion of angular or tentlike cross section formed by a pair of identical walls connected at an apex. The walls are generally flat except for an outwardly extending flange portion which is struck out from the central region of the wall so as to leave an opening into which the flange of a cooperating connector is longitudinally moved during as sembly. A cam surface is formed in the plane of the walls at the lower edge of the opening for providing a firm slightly spring-biased contact with the flange of a cooperating connector. The leading edge of the lower wall is bent outwardly to provide a lead-in guiding surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with the principles of the invention showing its relation to two other connectors indicated in phantom to which it may be connected;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the connector;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 1 showing the top connector in full engagement with the middle one and the middle one in its initial stage of partial engagement with the lower connector; and

FIG. 4 is a side plan view of the connector taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT electrical contact.with the upper contact surface 20 of lower wall portion 22 when two connectors are pressed into assembly by being moved axially relative to one another. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, any number of connectors can be connected together in a stack and thus the need for a common terminal block can be eliminated.

The leading edge of each wall 14 is bent laterally outwardly so as to form a groove 24 which is adapted to receive contact flange l6 and guide it onto cam surface 26 which leads into contact surface 20. Cam surface 26 tends to apply increased contact pressure to flange 16 as it lifts it from the initial entry position shown in FIG. 3 to the assembled position shown in FIG. 4. This lifting movement slightly deflects the spring metal material of the connector to cause the joined connectors to be maintained in engagement.

The rearward portion of the connector indicated generally at 28 includes a pair of longer tabs 30 which are adapted to envelop the insulation of a wire or cable 32 and a pair of shorter tabs 34 adapted to envelop and engage the wire 32. The tabs 30 and 34 may be crimped in the usual manner to electrically and mechanically engage them with a wire and its insulation.

' I claim:

1. A hermophroditic electrical connector comprising a springlike member including a tentlike portion of angular cross-sectional configuration and having an arcuately formed apex portion terminating in divergent wall portions, the wall portions including longitudinal contact flanges bent outwardly from an aperture formed in the wall and longitudinal contact portions defining a side of the aperture, the flanges adapted to be releasably engageable by the longitudinal contact portions of another similar electrical terminal to form good electrical contact, said aperture and said contact flanges being of lesser axial extent than said wall portion, said contact flanges lying within said apertures after one connector is assembled to another to prevent disengagement of the connectors, said wall portions being bent laterally outwardly at the leading end thereof so as to form a guide channel adapted to receive the leading edge of the flanges of a cooperating connector.

2. The connector as defined in claim 1 wherein said contact portion on the walls include a cam surface extending upwardly toward said apex portion from said guide channels to progressively force said contact flanges into firm contact with said walls.

3. The connector as defined in claim 2 wherein said connector includes separate tab portions at the opposite end thereof from said tentlike portion adapted to encircle the insulation and the live wire members in an electrical circuit. 

1. A hermophroditic electrical connector comprising a springlike member including a tentlike portion of angular cross-sectional configuration and having an arcuately formed apex portion terminating in divergent wall portions, the wall portions including longitudinal contact flanges bent outwardly from an aperture formed in the wall and longitudinal contact portions defining a side of the aperture, the flanges adapted to be releasably engageable by the longitudinal contact portions of another similar electrical terminal to form good electrical contact, said aperture and said contact flanges being of lesser axial extent than said wall portion, said contact flanges lying within said apertures after one connector is assembled to another to prevent disengagement of the connectors, said wall portions being bent laterally outwardly at the leading end thereof so as to form a guide channel adapted to receive the leading edge of the flanges of a cooperating connector.
 2. The connector as defined in claim 1 wherein said contact portion on the walls include a cam surface extending upwardly toward said apex portion from said guide channels to progressively force said contact flanges into firm contact with said walls.
 3. The connector as defined in claim 2 wherein said connector includes separate tab portions at the opposite end thereof from said tentlike portion adapted to encircle the insulation and the live wire members in an electrical circuit. 